Ridiculous
by WretchedLust
Summary: As his relationship with Arlene progresses, everyone pressures Hunter to get physical. He's tired of being seen as ridiculous. But when he starts to give in, he finds himself searching for something that he's not sure he wants to find. Huntlene. Slight Triles and Frankston thrown in. Lots of Hollingsworth sibling interaction.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: For this fic, I have to give a huge shout out to Tumblr user gxbbxns. After a text post they made a while back, we got to talking about how we'd love to see Hunter end up being asexual. Our conversation made me thing about writing a fic about him being asexual then. But I wasn't really sure how to go about it until we were introduced to Arlene.**

**Also, disclaimer...I don't game. So, I apologize if any of the gaming stuff in this or any future chapters seems off. I took a lot of stuff from what we saw in the episode where Sir Excellence and Becky played Realm of Doom. I tried to think up scenarios and stuff for anything else that sounded believable. I'm just not sure how successful I was because I don't have anything to compare it to.**

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><p>"Hunter, they're everywhere! What do we do?"<p>

"Remain calm." He spoke in his fake-yet-entirely-convincing British accent. "I'll watch your back. Don't worry about me. I have the right weaponry to fight them off. You just focus on getting through as many as you can and to the other side."

Arlene nodded even though she knew Hunter wasn't looking at her. Both of their eyes were glued on their separate laptop screens, their fingers wildly mashing buttons. His parents would be home any minute, which meant the two were playing Realm of Doom at the kitchen table instead of in his room due to the rule his mom had put in place after she caught Frankie and Winston together. He didn't mind though. Unlike his siblings and their partners, him and Arlene had nothing to hide. Both of their characters drew their swords and prepared for the swarm of wolf men headed their way. As Hunter began to ward off as many as he could Arlene's character bolted, trying to find a way out from the pack. She clinked swords with a few along the way as they tried to block her path. Just when she thought she had succeeded, Hunter began to cry out.

"Arlene, look out!"

She saw the blade coming towards her character's back quicker than she could react to. But nearly seconds before impact a bright flash of purple shot at the attacker's weapon, stunning him and sending him spiraling backwards. She gasped into her headset, causing her character to have the same effect. Hunter's character appeared behind her momentarily, already back to fighting off the massive beasts.

"You...you used your last bolt on me..."

She was absolutely stunned. The bolt was the most powerful weapon in the game. Not to mention, they were extremely difficult to find. Hunter would need that bolt if this battle continued much longer. Why did he waste it on her? She couldn't help but draw her eyes away from the screen momentarily to look at him. His jawline sat tight and his dark eyes full of wonder as he sat completely focused on the game. His determination made her smile, her cheeks flushing a frosty pink before returning back to their fictional world.

"It was easier than trying to stab him with all these idiots on my ass. Don't mention it. Just go...hurry, while they're still focused on me."

He instructed and her character quickly darted from the scene. She could still hear the sounds of Hunter's fight behind her as she ran off down the trail. She scanned left and right, looking for the chest those wolves had been protecting. According to the blogs, the content inside that chest would bump her up ten levels. This would place her right behind Hunter, making her character strong enough to fight along side his. They had spent nearly two weeks searching for its location, and now...there it was. She spotted it behind a bush that she had almost passed and her pulse raced as she ran back to it.

"Crap! You bastard!" Hunter swore from the other side of the table, jolting her out of her elated state.

Judging by how tense he had grown, his battle was not going good. She wondered if he was regretting using that bolt. She quickly threw the top off the chest and reached inside. Her character began to glow a pale yellow and she watched her level number rise on the side of the screen. Definition appeared in the muscles on her character's arms and the facial expression seemed to harden. Her weapon icons began to flash, indicating she had new editions that came with the experience. She had done it. She knew that now she was supposed to re-seal the chest and take it to a troll but she felt bad letting Hunter fight that battle all on his own. He had made it possible to get through - and now, she could actually do something about it. She could come back for the chest later. Her character was able to run much faster now and she returned to the battle in no time. The amount of wolves had easily doubled, if not tripled. The exhaustion from taking too many hits was visible on Hunter's character. She had to think. She had no idea how to use her power ups yet, but she had seen Hunter do it enough times that maybe she could figure it out. She held her breath as she pressed three keys, praying she was doing the right thing. A white beam appeared around three of the beasts and they instantly fell to the ground, flashing red before disappearing into thin air. All the other wolves turned to her with a mix of anger and fear strung across their faces.

"You did it! You found the chest! But how did you-?!" Hunter questioned her but Arlene was quick to cut him off.

"No time for chit chat. We have to get you out of here." She responded frantically before lending her voice to her character. "Be gone, wolves! What you strive to protect has already been taken!"

She pulled her shield and sword out for protection but it was not needed. After a few threatening snarls the wolves retreated back into the forest, leaving them be. Hunter's character walked closer to hers and she felt her heart swell - in real life, not in the game. She watched as he gave himself a health potion and Sir Excellence's radiance returned to normal.

"That was incredibly impressive, my lady." He spoke and Arlene's stomach began to do flip-flops.

"I couldn't have done it without you." She spoke into the mic but lifted her eyes to look over at the real Hunter again.

This time he looked at her too, and his face softened momentarily as they shot each other matching smiles. A red heart icon had appeared on her screen and she knew what that meant. She happily excepted the kiss action from his character and watched as their animated lips met and separated in a brief exchange. She was just about to send an action of her own when Hunter spoke up.

"Did you have time to dispose of the chest properly?"

"No. I just left it there. You needed my help. But if we return quickly, we should still be able to grab it."

"Right. You lead the way."

She was just about to do as he said when a loud combination of voices filled the room. She could make them out as Frankie, Miles, Tristan, and Winston before she even looked. Hunter groaned, moving his headset to around his shoulders and glaring harshly at the group as they entered the room. All four were in their bathing suits, their skin and hair still coated in water droplets that hadn't been absorbed by the towels wrapped around their waists.

"Don't be a sore loser, Chewy." Miles teased flashing with a knowing smirk

"I'm only sore because you guys cheated!" Winston fought back against his comment and Tristan rolled his eyes.

"Not my fault your girlfriend can't hold you up." The blonde clearly took his boyfriend's side, as expected. "Am I hearing a call for a rematch?"

"Oh, it's on!" Frankie answered for him before turning her attention to the table. "Hey Arlene, your mom's here."

She glanced at the clock, thinking there was no way it was already 6 o'clock. But her eyes proved her wrong. She grimaced as she removed her own headset and began collecting her things. Hunter folded his arms across his chest as he watched her, his face expressionless. It was pretty common for him to get like this when his siblings were around. It made him even more frustrated that she had to leave. But he reminded himself that she would be back, and tried to act like he wasn't tense when he offered to walk her out. Arlene said a quiet goodbye to everyone and flashed a genuine smile at Frankie. Her and Hunter's sister had actually become kind of close. She still preferred to spend time with Hunter, as Frankie did with Winston. But, it was nice to have a girl friend to turn to sometimes.

As the couple left, three of the four teenagers remaining in the kitchen went back to discussing the outcome of their chicken fight. But Frankie angled herself away from the group, craning her neck so she could get a peek at the couple from her location. She watched as Hunter walked Arlene to the door and stopped.

"Thanks for having me over." Arlene spoke up looking at her boyfriend shyly.

She thanked him every time, even though she had come over almost every day the past month. She wasn't used to having someone invite her into their home so often. It had been made pretty clear that Hunter didn't usually have company either. This just made her feel all the more special.

"Any time." He responded the same way he always did. "Congrats on finding the chest. I knew you could do it."

"_We _could do it." She corrected him quickly before backtracking a bit. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Ah nonsense. You're a stronger player than you give yourself credit for. Your fighting back there was impeccable. I'm not even sure how you knew how to use that white beam."

"Neither am I." She admitted and they both chuckled.

She looked up at him for a moment before giving her goodbye and nearly jumping up to wrap her arms around his neck. He hesitated for a moment but then she felt his arms wrap around her waist loosely. Arlene pulled away slightly after a bit and peered up into his chocolate eyes. Frankie watched the whole scene unfold and extended her arm to whack Miles in the chest and catch his attention. He was about to yell at her but she put a finger to her lips and smirked, nudging her head towards the couple. One by one Miles, Tristan, then Winston all leaned over to join in on the prying. They watched the couple remain in the same spot with his arms looped behind her and her arms around his neck, staring at each other in complete silence. The anticipation grew heavy as they all broke momentarily to exchange looks with each other. No words needed to be said to know they were all thinking the same thing - Hunter was about to get his first kiss.

"So uh, see you tomorrow?" Hunter spoke up removing his arms and letting one hand lift to cup her shoulder.

Tristan actually scoffed while the rest of the group only sighed and shook their heads. The dissapointment was mutual for all four of the spectators.

"Did that really just happen?!" Tristan whispered in disbelief, sounding mildly offended.

Miles shushed him and the four continued to watch as Arlene confirmed Hunter's question and was out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Damn, it is so hard for me to write under the viewpoint of female characters. Especially when it's more than one female character interacting. For whatever reason, it's much easier for me if there's a male character to at least bounce off of. So this chapter kinda sucks. But, this story will get somewhere eventually.**

**Also, a correction from the last chapter. I described Hunter's eyes as "chocolate" when Arlene was looking into them. But I realized while watching this week's sneak peek that he has blueish eyes. My mistake. Shows you guys how much attention I pay to the appearance of the men :P**

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><p>"What are your intentions with my brother?"<p>

Arlene jumped, startled by the sound of Frankie's hand smashing against the metal locker. She never would have thought that the sight of pink acrylic nails could be so intimidating. Frankie sounded ticked off. But as Arlene turned her head to look at her, the affectionate smirk owning her lips made it clear she was just teasing. She could physically feel her heart rate slow back down to normal as she sighed with the relief that Frankie wasn't upset with her. But that still didn't make her question any less confusing.

"I…um…huh?" Arlene stammered; her voice minuscule as she tried to understand what she was being asked.

"I was watching you guys when you left last night. _You_ wanted to kiss him!"

Frankie spoke with a level of certainty that made Arlene feel two feet tall. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She pretended to suddenly be very interested in the contents of her locker as she swapped out her Life Science book for the History book she had been clutching to her chest. She was unaware that she and Hunter had an audience during their awkward goodbye the night before. But Frankie wasn't wrong. Arlene had been hoping for a kiss from Hunter – and it hadn't been the first time. She thought back to last night, and how she had released a shaky breath she had unknowingly been holding as he returned the hug she gave him. She basked in the comfort of his body heat as she visualized what would happen next in her head. She would pull away slightly, their faces only inches apart. Hunter's piercing blue eyes would sparkle the way they always did when he smiled, and would remain locked on hers for every second as he tilted his head to the left and began to lean in. She would move the opposite way and finally their lids would flutter closed just as their lips met for the first time. The kiss would be sweet and quick but nothing less than perfect in her mind. But just like every time before, she left without knowing what it felt like to have his lips against hers. She tried not to seem disappointed when Hunter broke the anxious moment and pulled away from the embrace much too soon. Truth be told, it was tiring. She was beginning to wonder if Hunter really liked her as much as she liked him. He had no trouble making their characters kiss when they played Realm of Doom. Why was it so hard to bring that to real life? Of course, Arlene didn't want to say all of this to Frankie. Hunter is her twin brother – wouldn't that be totally weird? But Frankie noticed the discomfort in Arlene's demeanor and instantly sympathized, even if she couldn't read her thoughts. She lifted her hand to let it gently fall on the other girl's shoulder.

"You really like him, don't you?" Frankie asked, her voice now much less demanding.

Arlene only nodded shyly, wondering how Frankie knew so much about this. That was also true. Arlene had always been a bit of an outcast. Any 'friends' she had before were more like acquaintances who felt forced to eat lunch together because they had similar hobbies and nobody else would talk to them anyway. But when she came to Degrassi, things took a completely unexpected turn for the best. For one, she had a friend – a real friend who actually enjoyed spending time together and included her in things – and she had Hunter. Having a guy like Hunter in her life was something she thought she could have only dreamed about. She spent weeks admiring him from afar just like any other boy she had ever found cute. The rest always told her she was weird or threw things at her, forcing her into a nearly consistent silence. But for the first time ever, this boy actually liked her back – or so he claimed. Since they met they spent nearly every day together, and talked frequently when they were apart. They were able to bond over things that other boys made fun of her for liking like comic books, video games, and computers. He even remembered all the little things like that her favorite mythical creatures are elves or that she's addicted to hot chocolate. As far as boyfriends go, he's really a true gem. Part of her felt guilty for thinking she even had anything to complain about. But every time she looked at him, her stomach filled with butterflies like in the cheesy teen romance novels she secretly read. She desperately wanted to explore this new found feeling of infatuation that had struck her so instantly. She needed to know what it felt like to be kissed and touched by him. It was a desire she couldn't explain.

"Look. Unlike Miles, Hunter is a gentleman. So he's probably just waiting for you to give the okay." Frankie explained. "But, he's also completely new at this whole 'girls' thing. Not to mention, he's a guy which by default means he's a total moron."

She rolled her eyes and both girls giggled to themselves. Frankie was happy that Arlene seemed to be loosening up a bit.

"So, what do I do?" Arlene asked timidly as she finally shut her locker and turned to Frankie

"Unfortunately, you wait." She shrugged and Arlene felt the disappointment creep over her again. "But that doesn't mean you do nothing. Odds are, he's not going to catch on to your signs any time soon. Why don't you try making it a little more obvious? You know – you make the first move?"

"I can do that?" Arlene questioned, her face cringing at the thought.

"Sure you can!" She spoke convincingly just as the bell rang. The two made their way down the hall before Frankie continued. "What sort of stuff do you and my brother usually do together?"

"Work on his comics, mostly. Sometimes he'll show me some tips for starting my own or we'll just share ones we like. Oh! But lately we've been playing a lot of Realm of Doom-"

"But you've never been on like, a real date?"

Frankie's question struck a nerve with Arlene that she hadn't even known existed. She liked doing those things with Hunter. But the way his sister phrased it made it seem so abnormal.

"I…guess not?" She answered, truly unsure on how a 'real date' could be defined.

"Well there's your first problem." Frankie responded as if it should have been common sense. "You guys need to go out and do something that sets the mood. Then maybe he'll get the idea of romance through his thick skull."

"But how do I make that happen?"

Arlene asked as they finally reached the door to her Life Science class. She shared the class with Hunter, and it was no secret that both girls peered into the room to see if he was already there. He was seated at his usual seat, the one next to him empty and no doubt waiting for Arlene to fill it. The two girls brought their attention back to each other and Frankie stepped closer, lowering her voice as if they were in some danger of Hunter hearing them.

"Leave that to me."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Yay third chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews so far guys. I'm so glad people are liking this idea. It's amazing to see how many people have jumped aboard this Huntlene ship so soon. Side note...Am I the only one that thought the tiny Huntlene moment at the end of last week's episode was the only thing worth watching? That entire episode was trash until then. I was disappointed we didn't see any of them together in last week's episode. But that bit we saw of Hunter was interesting. The idea of him and Miles bonding over betting on who's boobs belong to who was hilarious.**

**This chapter's really just a filler because I needed to get the story headed in the right direction. So it's kind of boring, but completely necessary :P**

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><p>"She's really concerned about that history project, I guess." Arlene spoke softly, her gaze remaining stuck on her shuffling feet.<p>

She was thankful Hunter was eyeballing the ticket stubs in his hand instead of her, although it was the hundredth time he'd done so since they arrived. She was never very good at covering up lies, even if it was for her benefit. The fact that Hunter was so concerned over the situation didn't help settle her nerves. So she talked as little as possible and instead listened to Hunter mull over Frankie's seemingly obscure actions during the entire wait at the theater.

"But Black Orchid's her favorite. If she'd blow of schoolwork for anything, this is exactly what I'd expect. And what about Winston? The second ticket was supposed to be for him." Hunter rambled over the abnormalities out loud again before pausing to look up at Arlene with a perplexed expression. "Wait, I thought she said it was a math assignment?"

Shit! Arlene could have sworn that Frankie had chosen history as the subject when she was relaying the plan to her. This was exactly why she had been keeping her trap shut. She could feel her face grow hot as the blush creeped across her pale cheeks. She prayed Hunter wouldn't pick now to suddenly pay attention to details.

"Uh. Yeah. It is...an assignment on the history of the Pythagorean Theorem." She blurted out much too quickly.

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip, anxiously awaiting his response. But he only shrugged and took another step forward in the massive concession line. Arlene's muscles loosened with relief. For being so intelligent, her boyfriend was amazingly clueless. She didn't blame him for being so suspicious. She had been pretty concerned herself when Frankie revealed her idea for "Operation: Get Hunter to Kiss Arlene". Frankie had been drooling over the trailer for the Black Orchid movie for months. The fact that she would ditch the premiere to let Hunter and Arlene have their first "real" date was incredibly generous. Even though Hunter didn't know the scheme involved, he did know his sister wasn't usually one to be studious or benevolent for no reason. With Frankie's quick whit, she was surprised she couldn't come up with a more believable excuse than homework. Arlene quickly changed the subject to their expectations of the movie before Hunter could continue on about his sister's unusual generosity anymore. They soon lost themselves in an enthusiastic conversation about animation and graphics that lasted until they finally reached the counter. Arlene couldn't help but crack a smile over how cute Hunter was when he was babbling on about fictional characters like some love sick fan-girl. Her hand fell into her pocket, reaching for an unorganized cluster of cash but Hunter's hand swatted hers away the moment it resurfaced. Even though the interaction was brief his touch sent pins and needles shooting up her arm.

"I've got it. Get whatever you want." Hunter pressed as their eyes finally met for the first time that night.

Words weren't needed for her to thank him. She flashed her usual shy smile and let her gaze do the talking. Hunter may be the worst at the physical aspect of romance, but dating him was a breath of fresh air. He was nothing short of a gentleman. She couldn't fathom how a guy like him could let such basic relationship duties go over his head. She remembered Frankie's advice about making the first move and took a deep breath, searching for some much needed courage.

"We could share a popcorn and a drink?" She suggested.

"Okay, sure." He agreed with a smile as if the idea wasn't foreign to them, instantly soothing the majority of Arlene's tension.

Sure, splitting concessions was an incredibly small step - but it was one in the right direction. She helped him gather their things and they soon joined the crowd of people storming down the carpeted hallway, all headed to the same theater. Arlene stole a glance over at Hunter, her attention falling directly to his lips. The anticipation made her heart beat ten times faster as she thought about what was sure to come. She had so many questions about what the kiss would be like. She wondered how his lips would feel and how much pressure he would use. Would he take control or let her do all the work? Where would his hands go? Which way would he tilt his head? Would the sparks be instant or gradually build between them? Realizing she getting carried away with herself, she let her head snap back forward to focus on where they were walking. She followed him to a pair of empty seats and happily sat next to him, positively giddy over the moment they were finally about to share.


	4. Chapter 4

In time, the theater filled to capacity and the lights dimmed to bring peace to the overexcited crowd. Hunter was engrossed in the previews from the start, only opening his mouth to make a rushed comment or shovel in another handful of popcorn. Arlene made an honest attempt to do the same, but she couldn't help but get a little side tracked from time to time. Every instance when Hunter so much as flinched it had her wondering if he was going to touch her. Of course that was never the case, minus the few times they awkwardly reached for the soda simultaneously. Although she knew those moments were entirely accidental, she found herself high on hope that it would occur again.

One thing Arlene wasn't anticipating was for this film to be so intense. The animators had really taken it upon themselves to over exaggerate every mildly dangerous scene that took place. After only an hour in, Arlene was already unsure of how much longer she could last. The story was incredible, but she felt as though her heart rate was increasing alarmingly by the minute. Her desire for Hunter to touch her soon became a necessity as she found herself curling up against herself with every terrifying incident.

An all-too realistic blood splatter coated the screen and she was unable to contain herself anymore. She lunged towards Hunter, burying her head into his shoulder and gripping onto his shirt for dear life. The soft spot below her rib cage was met with an incredible pain as the seat rest dug into it, causing her to squeal. The sudden contact made Hunter jump, losing his grip on the popcorn bucket in his lap. A few kernels escaped but between the two of them they managed to stabilize it before it spilled over completely. She peeled herself off of him immediately, struck by a mixture of embarrassment and self-hatred.

"Whoa. Easily frightened?" Even in his muted voice, Arlene could tell Hunter was laughing.

Her head bobbed regretfully as she pretended to brush some stray popcorn off her seat to avoid looking at him directly.

"It's just a movie." He tried, but his words were anything but reassuring.

Great. Not only did she kill the already non-existent mood, but now he was mocking her just like everybody else. Arlene had experienced many days where she wished she could disappear into thin air, but this one took first place. She tried to tell him that she understood that, but the frustration jammed her words together into an inaudible mess.

Hunter could sense the tension in her demeanor. He may not be the best at reading other people, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to clue him in on this one. He moved the soda and popcorn bucket to his feet and latched his now unoccupied hand around the arm rest. He popped it up with one shove, freeing the space between them.

"Does uh…does this help?" His speech was now free of chuckling and had taken on a much more sincere attitude.

Hesitantly she peered over, and the shy smile he returned to her made her heart melt. Maybe she still had a chance after all. She tested her luck with the next death defying stunt, waiting until she felt the desire to scream before she loaned herself to Hunter once more. His arm was there to guide her instantly, wrapping behind her loosely. His warmth was almost overwhelming as it enveloped her in a piece of Hunter she had yet to explore. She took in every detail from the way she fit against the curve of his chest to the faded scent of his cologne. She turned her cheek to free her face from his shirt and found him still entirely glued to the movie. He didn't look away until he sensed her watching him and glanced down to question if she was alright. She assured him that she was and reveled in the way her words brought back his modest grin.

"Good." Was all he had to say, but even that small statement made Arlene light up.

They continued to stare at each other in silence. The room seemed to be closing in around them and Arlene suddenly forgot where they were or what they were doing. Her gaze fell to Hunter's relaxed lips and without thinking she began to lift up towards him. Her mind was completely empty, as if all time and space had frozen for them to share this moment. Her own lips began to quiver as they protruded slightly, her eyelids gradually fluttering shut. Every second seemed to drone on as she waited to feel his mouth meet hers.

"Holy shit! These graphics are insane!"

As quickly as it came, she felt his warmth being ripped from her as he took his arm back and lunged forward in his seat with excitement. The only thing her lips touched was more of the uninviting air they had been exposed to all night. She gathered herself quickly as she realized that she had been the only part of this duo experiencing that almost-kiss. She kept to herself for the rest of the movie, no longer paying attention enough to need Hunter as a human shield. She used all her energy to fight back the tears that threatened to surface. She may be a hopeless failure, but she was not about to humiliate herself more by letting Hunter see her cry.


	5. Chapter 5

It didn't matter that Hunter slept much later than usual the following morning. When he finally trudged downstairs, it was a great struggle to keep his tired eyes open. His entire body felt weighed down from exhaustion. All the blame fell to the adrenaline rush that last night's movie cursed him to. Even when he arrived back home he was still too pumped for sleeping right away to be a reasonable option. The same didn't seem to be true for Arlene. She spent the entire ride back staring blankly out the window in almost complete silence. He managed to get her to speak twice - after he asked for her thoughts on the movie and when they said their goodbyes. He supposed the excitement of the night had worn her out, so he didn't want to press too much. They could recap today at school when she was likely to be more enthused. Before he even reached the last series of steps, Hunter could hear his siblings bickering in the kitchen.

"Just throw out the butts. Nobody likes them anyways."

"Miles, that's a waste! And if that's really what you think then I feel bad for Tristan."

"Seriously, Franks? A guy can't even make toast anymore without it turning into a gay joke?!"

"Oh my god, lighten up already! It's not every day we actually see you in the kitchen instead of waiting on your lazy ass for somebody else to bring you food."

"Ah, how can anyone survive without the sweet sounds of their family fighting over something so stupid first thing in the morning?" Hunter interjected sarcastically as he joined in on the scene.

Four eyes whipped to his direction instantly and suddenly the tension in the room dissipated. As if she hadn't just been ready to ring Miles' neck seconds before, Frankie cracked an unsettling smile and sauntered his way. The action made Hunter's crystal eyes roll, but he said nothing. His family's mood was always so up and down it was impossible to determine. He had learned to just go along with it the best he could and escape to an alternate reality as frequently as possible. From that moment on and during the entire ride to school, she flooded him an unusual series of questions about the night before. It wasn't as though he hadn't been expecting for his sister to try living vicariously through him. After all, she had to give up the tickets she had been lusting over to work on some sure to be distressing homework assignment. But the majority of her questions strayed from the movie itself. She seemed more concerned in the experience - like the amount of people around and whether he and Arlene enjoyed themselves. He must have told her in a hundred different ways that they had a good time before she accepted it. Of course, that was most likely because they had arrived at school and the details of his life had to take a backseat to her gossiping with her obnoxious friends.

The school day droned on like always and soon the strange events of the morning were forgotten in the sea of normality. He worked his way absentmindedly through an English exam and somehow managed to stay awake through all his lectures. When lunch period hit he rushed through the cafeteria line as quickly as possible and spent the remainder of the time gaming in the resource center. He placed his backpack on the seat beside him to hold place for Arlene, but it was still there when the bell screamed at him to head to his next class. When school finally let out he made a beeline to Miles' car. He scanned the sea of black vehicles in the parking lot, ultimately discovering it must be the one his brother and Tristan were sucking face next to. Even though Tristan's back was pressed only inches away from the handle, Hunter gave them no recognition when he opened the door and slipped inside. But it didn't take long for an obviously embarrassed blonde and his equally as frustrated brother to take space in the front two seats. Hunter had no intentions of talking to them so he let himself zone out staring into the mass of students, parents, and faculty attempting to escape school grounds. Exhaustion and boredom clouded up his thoughts and left him in the spacey state until the other car door slammed sharply through the silence.

"What the hell did you do to Arlene?!"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Shout out to Wren for keeping me sane when I finally finished this chapter the first time and accidentally clicked "do not save."**

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><p>If looks could kill, Frankie would have been charged with mass murder. Hunter snapped out of his daze and peered to his right to see the previously empty seats filled by his sister and her lanky boyfriend. If the bitter glare in Frankie's dark eyes was any indication, Hunter should have been grateful Winston had taken the middle. The knowing look plastered against the other boy's face signaled that the placement may not have been accidental. Even Tristan, who barely knew Frankie was hit hard enough with the bitter tension to draw in a sharp breath, eyes widening towards Hunter in sympathy.<p>

"Me?" Hunter asked, his brows knitting together in confusion.

"No. Miles." Frankie's sarcasm hung thick in the air, filling the car with an uncomfortable tension.

"Whatever it is, for once I didn't do it!" Miles lifted his hands innocently with a silent chuckle, temporarily making him the target of his sister's harsh stare.

He cleared his throat as his hands dropped slowly, deciding now would be a better time than ever to start the car. The engine hummed to life as he turned the key, permeating the uncomfortable silence. It wasn't until Miles peeled out of the parking lot in his typical fashion - with only one hand on the wheel as the other was busy fiddling with Tristan's - that Frankie spoke up again. Her head turned sharply back towards Hunter as she leaned over Winston, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Of course, you." She hissed in her twin's direction with an expression as comforting as a block of ice.

Hunter honestly thought her question over, his eyes darting upwards as he searched far back into his mind. There was the one time he accidentally mixed up two terms on their homework and insisted Arlene change her correct answer to what ended up being the wrong one. But that incident was over two weeks ago. He couldn't imagine Frankie getting this pissed over it now...or ever. It had to have been a more recent occurrence. The only flaw with that realization was that he had barely seen Arlene all day.

The only thing he gathered from what he did see of her was that she had to be insanely tired. Like always, Hunter waited near her locker in the morning but she didn't arrive until seconds before the first bell rang. Her weary eyes and unusually bland appearance gave him the impression she was still exhausted from the previous night. The fact that she didn't seem to have enough energy to initiate their usual morning embrace basically confirmed his suspicion. Her worn presence carried well into the day, making her even less talkative than normal in their shared classes. After class she would pack up her things and scurry out the door with no more than a bleak 'bye', too determined to hurry through her day to let Hunter leisurely walk her to her next destination.

This all lead to him not being the least bit worried when she never arrived to game with him in the resource center during lunch period. From the way she had been acting all day he could only assume she had opted to a less mentally stimulating hour of droning out in the cafeteria. It wasn't hard to conclude that she'd probably want to go straight home after school and sleep it off. So, he didn't bother to ask if she was coming over. By the time the school day came to an end he was anticipating a lengthy nap himself.

The only thing that recounting the day had showed him was exactly what he knew beforehand. If Arlene had been brought down by something, there was no way he would have even had enough time to be the culprit. Just as he was about to express this to his sister, her voice returned to the formed silence.

"Do you have any idea how crushed she is?!"

"No, but I-"

"Seriously, Hunter! I would expect this kind of stupidity from Miles. But I thought you were better than that."

"Okay. I'm right here, you know!" The eldest Hollingsworth boy interjected defensively, glowering at his little sister through the rear view mirror.

Tristan hastily shushed him, wordlessly begging him to stay out of their drama. His thumb traced calming circles on the outside of Miles' hand as he held it in his own. The brunette only shook his head in annoyance, reluctantly fixing his eyes back on the road before him.

"Look, Frankenstein. I don't know what you think happened but -" Hunter tried again, but once more his sister shot down his attempt to get a word in edgewise.

"I thought you said you guys had a good time last night!"

"We...We did."

That vague yet extremely critical remark took Hunter off guard, causing his lips to gradually fall closed as her words struck him. He visibly pulled back as he tried his best to piece together what was happening. Was Frankie implying that whatever was bothering Arlene was because of something that happened last night? Clearly, this was just another case of his sister prying too far into someone's personal life and getting the wrong idea. Arlene had a great time last night - she even told him herself. Sure, she had gotten a little startled by some scenes and maybe wore herself out more than anticipated- but surely that wasn't his fault. She had expressed just as much desire to see the movie as he had from the time the original previews surfaced.

"Obviously not!" Frankie jeered, her heated eyes rolling sharply. "You can't just play with her emotions like that!"

"Whoa! What did I-"

"News flash, brother. Girls have a purpose besides being occupying your time when you're too bored with your own pathetic lives."

"I never-"

"I can't believe I defended you. I told her you were just being a proper gentleman. But apparently I was wrong. Apparently, you're just another idiotic boy."

"Defended me from wha-?"

"You know people have never been the nicest to Arlene! A-and you're just gonna shut her down like she doesn't even matter to you? Hunter, everyone has been pushing her away her whole life!"

"I know. But seriously, what-"

Hunter was growing tired of Frankie's unclear accusations. The more she spoke, the higher his body temperature seemed to rose. He could feel the tension in the air seeping into his body - taking over his muscles and turning his expression to irritation. His fingers twitches restlessly, trying to channel the uneasiness that coursed through him every time she cut him off.

"You can't be one of those people! It's not fair to her!"

"OKAY! STOP!" The rage filled Hunter's chest, supplying enough air for his sudden explosion to boom throughout the air. "I-I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"Don't play dumb, Hunter." Frankie's voice was stern and quiet, creating a great contrast in the atmosphere.

"Franks, I don't think he's playing." Winston piped up quietly, being the second brave soul to try to interrupt their one-sided argument.

Hunter sneered at Winston's mildly offensive comment, but was too preoccupied to form words. For the first time since they had left Degrassi, Frankie turned to look at him. His fidgeting hands had flown to scratch at his head - needing something, anything to occupy them. He tried to take deep breaths but found nothing but shallow ground - his lungs feeling tight and useless. He exhaled slowly, his lips trembling from his outburst. His pupils had almost entirely consumed his eyes and were cast with an empty glaze. The combination of confusion and agitation lied deep in the creases of his forehead. It was an image Frankie knew all too well. Hunter wasn't the kind to show his anger easily like Miles. He let it build up past the last possible second before the angst consumed his entire being. The boy staring avoiding her gaze wasn't one who was trying to avoid confrontation. It was one who was genuinely clueless.

With a sigh, she told him everything. Her voice grew much softer as she tried to find pity in her brother's oblivious state. She recapped her conversation at Arlene's locker about her being too nervous to tell Hunter what she wants. She explained the elaborate scheme of Operation: Get Hunter To Kiss Arlene, and that there was indeed no school project she needed to work on. From there, she told Arlene's story: how excited she was when they got to share concessions and how that excitement grew when he lent her his shoulder to hide in. Of course it all lead down to the main issue at hand - that Arlene felt inferior after Hunter rejected her attempted kiss. Hunter didn't budge, trying his best to absorb his sister's words into his clouded mind. The more she told him, the more confused he felt. It was as though his thoughts were swimming in a sea of uncertainty.

"So...in short, Arlene thinks you don't like her because you don't seem like you want to kiss her." Frankie's informative report came to an end as she pursed her lips and waited for Hunter's reaction.

"I-I don't get it. What's the big deal about a kiss anyway?" Hunter finally spoke after a long moment of silence, his voice low and throaty.

His statement was serious - he didn't understand. The idea of anyone feeling let down over the lack of mouth-to-mouth contact was unsettling. Perhaps his lack of experience could be too blame, but it was a concept he couldn't wrap his mind around. He knew a first kiss was like some known right of passage into the world of maturity. But the importance it held had always come to him as a mystery.

"She's a girl." Frankie laughed as though the answer should have been completely obvious. "These sort of things are important to us. Especially to a girl like Arlene who's never exactly been well-liked. It's like validation that the boy actually cares about us."

"Well I-I do care about her." He fought, the level of sincerity in his voice strong.

"Then you have to show her that. Hunter, you've seen the movies. You've read the stories. You know how this goes. When two people are have feelings for each other - they show it physically."

"Yeah I know...I guess I just didn't think Arlene cared about any of that stuff. She's never talked about it."

"Well it's not exactly something you always express with words." Winston piped in, hoping to shed some light on the subject. "When a girl wants to kiss you it's just...something you feel. You just gotta watch for the signs and find enough balls to give in."

"She's literally kept all the signs under your nose this whole time" Frankie added. "Lingering hugs, staring into your eyes, leaning in, practically throwing herself on you in the movie."

"She said she was frightened."

"Oldest trick in the book!" Tristan scoffed, finally putting in his two-cents. "Your scaredy-cat brother pulls that one on me all the time."

"Uh. Okay. Has everyone forgotten that I'm in the car too?" Miles huffed but was completely ignored as everyone remained engrossed in Hunter's dilemma.

It took until the final door shut for Hunter to realize that they had already parked in the Hollingsworth driveway. Numbly he undid his seatbelt and swung his backpack over his shoulder. The door slammed behind him as he hastily jogged to catch up with the rest of the group, knowing this conversation was nowhere near finished.

"You really weren't ignoring her attempts on purpose?" Frankie asked for clarification and watched as Hunter sluggishly shook his hanging head.

"What do I do now? To show her that."

"Nothing. You're screwed." Miles teased as he opened the front door to allow everyone inside their home.

"No no no. It's time for redemption. He needs a grand gesture." Tristan argued, pushing at his boyfriend's shoulder with a scolding look.

The group made their usual beeline for the kitchen with Hunter in tow. He jumped up on the kitchen's island and let his feet dangle off the edge. They made a nice resting place for his eyes, which didn't seem to want to leave their downward gaze.

"You're both wrong." Frankie stated with confidence as she shoved past Miles to be the first one to the fridge. She grabbed the last two sodas from the door and made a point to stick out her tongue at the oldest brother before tossing one to her boyfriend. "He's completely hopeless...no offense Hunter."

"Um, some taken." He jeered, not liking that the conversation had turned back to insults on his behalf.

"What he needs is to learn by example." She spoke slyly as her attention traveled from Hunter to her boyfriend and over to the same sex couple behind them. "We're all going on a triple date."

Miles and Winston groaned, immediately rejecting Frankie's idea. She kept her eyes locked on Tristan's, waiting until his mouth curved up to match the cheeky grin that had taken over hers.

"We're in!" Tristan announced, making the decision on Miles' behalf and earning a grunt of disapproval from the brunette. "It'll be fun! It'll be like our own crash course on how to be the perfect couple."

"And Winston has no choice because if he doesn't go I will castrate him." Frankie turned sharply to her boyfriend who could only gulp and nod in a new found acceptance. "So, what do you say Hunter?"

"I mean...I guess?"

He wasn't sure what else to say. Frankie seemed to know how Arlene felt a whole lot better than he did. Although thought of spending time any more time with his siblings than necessary was anything but appealing, he knew he was in no position to turn her plan down. He had to go through with it if it was going to make Arlene happy again.

"Okay, am I invisible or something?" Miles asked with an obvious annoyance.

"You're not invisible. But um...what's your name again?" Tristan teased, earning a laugh from the other couple.

Hunter saw this as the prime moment to escape. Without another word he grabbed his bag and trudged off toward his room hoping he had gone undetected.

"Hunter, where are you going?!" Frankie asked and he cursed to himself as he paused at the foot of the stairs to answer.

"My room."

Was all he said and then he was pounding up the stairs two at a time. If she said anything else, he hadn't heard her. The desire to take a nap had completely diminished, but he knew exactly how he was going to spend his time. After the shit show that had just happened, he was going to need a full night of gaming to clear his mind.


End file.
